A Cozy And Comfortable Zoo In Providence

ROVIDENCE — The Roger Williams Park Zoo resembles Noah's Ark -- it has at least a pair of nearly every kind of animal you've heard of and some you haven't, like tahrs and bongos.

``Hey, look Mom -- mock zebras,'' said a small boy, staring at a family of bongos in a field.

His comment drew the attention of one bongo and he didn't look pleased. You can see why. To start with, bongos are brown (not white and black like zebras) and their stripes are much more delicate -- like sunbeams -- and meant to camouflage the Central African animals.

A plaque near the bongo portion of the zoo explains that the animals usually live deep in the forest and are rarely seen by people. Not these bongos. One of the zoo's 160 species, the bongos are seen by about 600,000 visitors a year.

Tucked into a picturesque park -- which retains a cozy feel despite bumping up against I-95 -- the zoo is an ideal day trip, especially for families with children younger than their teens.

Since it is only about 40 acres, it is not overwhelming. It can be seen in a few hours, leaving time to enjoy the rest of Roger Williams Park, which has a pond with paddle boats, a carousel, a playground, pony rides and grounds to stroll.

The zoo grounds have undergone a top-to-bottom renovation in recent years. The newest exhibit is the Marco Polo Trail, which opened in August.

Visitors enter this exhibit through a pastel stucco building where they step back in time to the year 1271. They walk through an area meant to look like Venice -- it even has a canal -- and into a shipbuilding area symbolizing the start of Marco Polo's 17 years of travel for the Kublia Khan.

At six video stations throughout the ``biopark'' exhibit (the model integrates zoological, cultural and historical aspects) Polo explains his adventures and the people, animals and culture he encountered.

``Leaving our ship behind . . . we walked through streets covered with beautiful silken clothes to keep out the desert sun,'' a silk-swathed Polo explains on the first video.

The trail takes visitors past the zoo's newest animals: a Moon Bear, snow leopards and a dromedary camel. The second phase of the trail is expected to open next year and will include red pandas, Chinese birds and musk deer.

Efforts to make the zoo more user-friendly include signs that explain animal characteristics and habits. For example, a visitor learns that elephants lumbering around their outdoor plain cool themselves by flapping their massive ears.

The sea lion tank is designed so visitors can either look up from the bottom of the tank or down from a set of stairs.

Although the barnyard animals can be seen up close and personal -- only a fence separates you from them -- others are viewed only behind glass in special buildings or from platforms high above an animal's lair. This is a blessing if you are talking about the arctic fox (which smells like a skunk).

Fascination fatigue (the ooohhh- aahhhh syndrome), which sets in after an hour or so in any zoo, is alleviated by the Roger Williams zoo design. Visitors see some animals from ground level while others can be seen by walking up or down stairs to special viewing areas.

There's also a variety of places to stop along the meandering path, including Alice's Restaurant in the African Fishing Village area, the Hungry Bear Cafe near the Marco Polo Trail and the A to Zebra gift shop in the Menagerie Building.

Also, there are carts and vendors throughout the zoo, including Panache -- which dispenses delectable coffees, lattes and the like (iced in the summer, if you prefer) near the Sophie Danforth Building. The food is reasonably priced -- hot dogs ($1.95), french fries ($1.95), grilled chicken breast ($3.25).

Roger Williams Park Zoo

* Open every day except Christmas from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. From Memorial Day to Labor Day the hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

* Admission is $5 for adults (13 and above), $2.50 for senior citizens and children (ages 3-12), free to toddlers (age 2 and under).

* Parking at the zoo is free.

For information, call (401) 785-3510.

Directions: From Hartford take I-91 south to I-95 north to Providence. Take Exit 16, and follow signs to the zoo.